The present invention relates to a refractory or ceramic assembly including outer and inner refractory or ceramic members, the outer member having therein a cavity or opening within which is inserted the inner member. More particularly, the present invention is directed to such a refractory assembly wherein there is formed an interference shrink fit between an inner surface of the outer member and an outer surface of the inner member, thereby forming a mortarless joint between the two members.
It is known to form various refractory assemblies of the type wherein an inner refractory member is positioned within an opening in an outer refractory member. This type of assembly is common, for example, in the various wear parts of sliding gates or sliding closure units employed on metallurgical vessels, for example in the stationary and movable plates thereof, inlet and outlet nozzle bricks thereof, discharge spouts thereof, as well as refractory members for the introduction of various media into molten metal within the metallurgical vessel, as well as on various types of ceramic heat exchanger members, for example recuperators. In the past, the joint between such outer and inner refractory members has been formed by a refractory mortar, cement, etc.
However, this type of prior art joint always creates a weak point of the refractory assembly. This often leads to the joint failing and allowing destructive molten metal breakthrough. This can be caused due to eddies operating on such joint and due to the pressure and erosive capabilities of the molten metal flow. Such disadvantage results in undesirable operational uncertainties and often requires replacement of the various elements earlier than otherwise would be necessary. Additionally, the durability of such prior art joints is not satisfactory with regard to stresses due to high temperature variations. At any rate, in the prior art it normally is necessary to attempt to precisely adapt the particular joint material to be used to the stress to be expected in a given installation. Furthermore, it also is necessary to ensure that the joints are formed by a relative attentive manual joining operation, and this of course involves increased costs.